Liverpool Everyman announces gender-balanced, diverse cast for new repertory company

Liverpool Everyman has announced the cast for its new in-house company, who will perform as part of the theatre’s return to repertory producing.

Patrick Brennan and Laura Dos Santos are among the 14 actors in the company, which the theatre highlighted was gender-balanced and features a diverse mix of ethnicities.

Melanie La Barrie, Richard Bremmer and Dean Nolan will also star in the theatre’s first five productions as a repertory theatre, including Fiddler on the Roof and Romeo and Juliet.

The five shows starring the company will run one after the other from February to May, before being staged on rotation from June 8 to July 1.

Both the Playhouse and the Everyman previously hosted repertory companies, with the latter famously providing early career platforms for Julie Walters, Bill Nighy, Matthew Kelly and Jonathan Pryce in the 1970s.

Members of the new company will include Tom Kanji, Asha Kingsley, George Caple, as well as local actors Pauline Daniels, Keddy Sutton, Liam Tobin and Zelina Rebeiro.

One actor, Emily Hughes, was found through an open casting call in Liverpool, while Elliott Davis – who was part of the theatre’s Young Everyman Playhouse scheme – will be a member of the company on a special “training” place.

Artistic director Gemma Bodinetz said the rep company would form a family that could “really respond” to the city of Liverpool.

“There’s such a rich mix of experience and new talent, of performers from this city and those new to it, all of whom are extraordinary in their own way, and I’m so excited to see them come together next year,” she said.

Nick Bagnall, who will direct two productions in the season, revealed the casting process had been “incredibly rigorous”.

He said: “I believe we have found a group of multi-skilled and agile performers who will tell these beautiful stories with joy and an open heart. I cannot wait to see how the city responds to them and the tales we are about to tell together.”

The Everyman sought actors with a variety of skills for the company, including those who can sing and play instruments.

Contracts will last for one season, though it is hoped several performers will remain on for the next rep season.

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